Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Occupation Details

Games Programmer

Education Most of these occupations require qualifications at NFQ Levels 7 or 8 (Ordinary / Honours Degrees) but some do not.

Related Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, you may need to complete three - four years of college and work for several years in the career area to be considered qualified.

Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Computer games programmers turn the ideas and specifications of games designers into games that people can actually play.

Videos & Interviews

1Total Records:1

Jason Ruane

Computer Programmer

Jason works as a Computer Programmer for Intel. He went to DCU (Dublin City University) to complete a BSc in Applied Physics, from where he went to immediate employment with Intel. Since then he has completed a Masters in Applied computing at DIT. Both courses have prepared him very well for his current position.

It takes a variety of talented people working many long hours to produce a successful video game. Besides programmers, the production team may include artists, musicians, actors, analysts, game designers, accountants and project managers. A successful game programmer must be willing to work closely with a variety of nontechnical people, write code according to detailed specifications and endure long hours to produce the next spectacular video game.

Programming Skills

Game programming ranges from working with high performance console games written in machine language to casual Internet games using standard web programming languages. There are many types of programmers, including engine programmers, artificial intelligence programmers, graphics programmers, sound programmers, tool programmers, network programmers, physics programmers, and user interface programmers.

A game programmer must be fluent in a variety of languages and be able to switch when needed. Start with traditional languages like C and C++ and some understanding of machine languages and embedded programming. Game designers rely heavily on physics engines, game libraries and special purpose languages so programmers must have the skills to learn new tools quickly, getting up to speed reading manuals and following code examples.

Internet and mobile-based games are the early 21st century rage, so become familiar with web programming, Android and Apple's IOS development.

Communication Skills

Game programmers work closely with a variety of team members ranging from artists and performers to mathematicians and business people. While most of the day is spent writing computer code, you will also need to work and communicate with other team members. Learn to speak and understand their jargon so you can translate their needs into code. An artist, for instance, will describe changes to video rendering in terms of light and shading, but not necessarily in terms of pixels or color values. The better you understand their needs, the more realistic the game you help to create and the player's experience will be.

Gaming Experience

Computer gamers share a culture built from long hours playing in the same virtual worlds. While it may be possible to assimilate some of this from other gamers, a certain amount of background and knowledge of this culture will be needed to communicate with other team members. Specifications and problem reports will assume an understanding of gaming concepts and gamers judge new games against past experience. When two programmers with similar abilities interview for a new position, the one with the most gaming experience has the competitive advantage.

Tasks & Activities

The following is a list of the most commonly reported tasks and activities for this occupation

Correct errors by making appropriate changes and rechecking the program to ensure that the desired results are produced.

Conduct trial runs of programs and software applications to be sure they will produce the desired information and that the instructions are correct.

Write, update, and maintain computer programs or software packages to handle specific jobs such as tracking inventory, storing or retrieving data, or controlling other equipment.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills

The following is a list of the most commonly reported skills used in this occupation.

Programming: Writing computer programs for various purposes.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Personal Qualities

As a computer games programmer, you will need an interest in computers and a good knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, computer games. Advanced programming skills, preferably in a number of different computer languages, are essential.

As with most computer-related jobs, you will require a logical, methodical approach to your work. You will also need to be patient and painstaking, as developing a new game from scratch is a long and demanding process.

You will need to be a good team worker, able to get along with others and meet deadlines. You must also be willing to spend many hours sitting at a computer developing code. Good problem-solving abilities are essential when attempting to remove 'bugs' and to find ways to solve complex programming challenges.

Those working as consultants should be prepared to travel to visit clients and spend some nights away from home.

A constant willingness to learn and develop your knowledge is also important as the industry is constantly changing and improving.

Further Information

A detailed description of this occupation can be found on a number of online databases. Follow the link(s) below to access this information:

Career Guidance

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Higher Ed & CAO Course suggestions

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